To the Editor:

The recent revelation our rogue SLC Board of Legislators approved extending the IDA contract through 2019, at a cost of $600,000 of taxpayer money, is truly misguided.

We know the rogue legislators that pushed this through have done so in spite of the clear directive given them by the electorate.

This directive could not be clearer in the minds of taxpayers carrying the burden of over-taxation and over-regulation cast upon us by the former tax and spend liberals we voted out.

The contradictory hypocrisy of this resolution is astounding. It states “Given the fiscal stresses of the county, the funding of IDA has been continually reduced over the last few years.” Okay, that is reasonable, yes? This is where the hypocrisy comes in. The statement then continues, “Realizing the value of the work the IDA does and believing it is vital to encourage and support economic development in St. Lawrence County, amending and extending the current contract will benefit the county.”

Oh my, they make it sound good don’t they.

Let’s take the rogue legislators to task. IDA gave the St. Lawrence Brewery $350,000 dollars of our hard earned money. We know the St. Lawrence Brewery is now defunct. We know this is not the only bad business decision given us by IDA. IDA is a proven DPD (Direct Profit Drain) on our taxpayer dollar and the contract should be null and void.

We know government has no business in business. It allows government to pick winner’s and loser’s and invokes crony capitalism that is always at taxpayer expense. The government track record is dismal to say the least. It nearly always picks the loser.

We need our legislators to support the free market not unelected bureaucrats like IDA.

If the county electorate would pay attention and hold the rogue legislators accountable we can begin to right the wrongs of misguided politicians. There is no such thing as government money.

The government takes its money from your paycheck. It is your money.

Given the fiscal stress of the county why do Chairman John Burke, legislators Lisa Bell, Donald Hooper, Travis Dann, Larry Denesha, Rick Perkins, Tony Arquiett, and Gregory Paquin wish to continue the tax and spend liberal policies that created this mess? I call on the electorate to hold them accountable at the polls.

Until we have legislators that give us tried and proven conservative legislation that reduces the taxpayer burden expect more status quo tax and spend liberal policies.

Legislator’s in the mold of Joseph Lightfoot, David Forsythe, Kevin Acres, Joel LaPierre, Chad Colbert, and Joe Timmerman must replace the rogue legislators we mistakenly elected.

Trent Porter

Morristown

Candidate for St Lawrence County Treasurer